Picket fence



Patented Sept. 6, 1887,

N. PETERS, Fhato-Uwagraphur, wanhm wn. D. c,

ihvrran STATES JACOB WINTRODE, OF HUNTINGTON, INDIANA.

PICKET FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,671, dated September 6, 1887.

Application filed July 11, 1887. Serial No. 244,018. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB WVIN'rnoDE, of Huntington, in the county of Huntington and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picket Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had "to'the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

' My invention relates to an improvement in picket fences; and it consists in, first, the combination,with the pickets, of the wires which are twisted around them, the braces which take the place of the posts and are held at their upper ends by the wires, the same as the pickets, a shortpicket which is placed between the braces, slats which extend along opposite sides of the pickets, and a wire which tightens the braces, the short picket, and theslats rigidly in position; second, the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully described.

The object of my invention is to dispense with the posts heretofore used in making picket fences, and to substitute for them inclined braces, which are held by the upper strand of wire in the same manner as the pick ets, and to assist in securing these braces in position by means of cross bars or slats, which catch against opposite sides of the pickets near the upper ends of the braces.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fence embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken just on one side of the braces.

A represents the pickets, and B the strands of wire between which the pickets are held. Instead of securing the wires to posts in the usual manner, the posts are entirely done away with and the two braces G are substituted therefor. These braces are inclined toward each other, and at their upper ends,where they cross, have the wires B twisted around them, the same as around the pickets. As these two braces come just opposite one of the places where a full picket should be twisted into the wire, a short picket, D, is used,which has its upper end comejust into the crotch which is formed by the meeting of the two braces. As this short picket does not have its upper end reach up to the upper strand of wire, and as it is desired to brace both this short picket and the adjoining ones rigidly together, two horizontal bars or strips, G, are used, which are supported in position by the wire H, which is wrapped around the outer side of the two braces, as shown. This wire serves to support the two strips in position, and these strips, by catching over opposite sides of both the short picket and at least one other upon each side thereof, prevent the fence from swaying or having any lateral movement, as would otherwise be the case. In order to prevent the lower ends of the braces from spreading out, they are secured in position by a wire loop, a, which extends around the lower ends of the braces, as shown, and around a suitable number of stakes or posts, 6, which are driven into the ground between the ends of the braces, the loop being twisted around the stakes as around the panels. In order to still further anchor the fence down, a wire, I, is secured to the upper wires, B, which extends down in between the two strips and is fastened to a stake, cl, which is driven into the ground, or a stone which is sunk into the earth, so as to hold it in position. This wire prevents the fence from being raised upward, as might otherwise be the case. The lower end of the short picket may also be fastened to this stakeor stone for the purpose of preventing any lateral movement whatever at the bottom of the fence.

By means of the construction here shown and described a part or all of the posts are done away with, and the wires are connected to the braces without the use of nails or staples.

Dispensing with the digging of the postholes alone effects a great saving in the construction of the fence.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim-- wires B, twisted around the pickets, the braces O, which cross each other at their upper ends and have the wires twisted around them, the short picket between the braces, the wire 5 passed around the braces and the short picket, the stripswhich catch against opposite sides of the pickets and are supported in place by said wire, and the wire which extends vertically down and is fastened to a stone 01' stake in the ground, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J AOOB WINTRODE. Witnesses:

O. W. WATKINs, B. M. COBB. 

